Washington DC may be the political capital of the United States, but New York is indisputably the capital of culture and finance. Though other cities like Chicago and San Francisco have a great deal of art, culture, and commerce to offer, nothing comes close to New York.

Since 1929, the Museum of Modern Art, in New York, has been one of the premier institutions for preserving and promoting contemporary art. The museum hosts exhibitions that are on the cutting edge, while also maintaining a collection of pieces that were hugely influential in the modern art movement during the early part of the 20th century. While the Metropolitan Museum is the catchall of various styles and movements throughout art history, MOMA is the place to visit to feel the pulse of what’s happening in art today.

To delve further into the history of art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Whitney are two great venues to explore. The Met is the grand dame of art museums, with exhibits that trace the history of art and culture from the ancient Egyptians to modern day, with a collection of antiquities that is hard to match and new exhibits rotating out several times a year. The Whitney’s focus is American art, but the permanent collection is small to make room for new special exhibits. Most Whitney programs are focused on art from the 20th century forward.

Lincoln Center was built in the 1960s, part of an urban renewal project, and is the first multi-venue cultural centre in the US. There are twelve resident companies at Lincoln Center, including the Metropolitan Opera, New York City Ballet, New York City Opera, New York Philharmonic and Lincoln Center Theater. There are events happening at Lincoln Center constantly throughout the year.